Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
ANd a surcle shall come out of the trunk of Jesse, and a branch shall fructifie out Vers. 1.of his roots. The Chaldee Paraphrast, A King shall come of the sons of Jesse, and the Messiah of his sons sons. Jerom saith, That the Jewish Expositors understand Hieron.this of Christ, but he rendering the first word, Branch, expoundeth it of the Virgin Mary, and the next a flower, and saith, That Christ was the flower of this Branch: and then for fructifying he hath ascending, and a flower shall ascend out of his roots. Yet the Jews, he saith, understand Christ by both, the Rod setting forth his power, the Flower his glory. Others generally with them also understand Christ, as springing out of the stub of Jesse, which stood like the stub of a Tree cut down in the ground, so that none would have thought after so long a discontinuance of Kings coming therefrom, that one so glorious should have sprung to rule and reign. Sasbont saith, the meaning is, One shall spring out of his root with a regal Scepter. Calvin, who expounds Calv.the cutting down spoken of at the latter end of the former Chapter, of the Jews, saith, that this is a comfort added immediatly after it, that the faithfull might not be discouraged at the hearing of such sad things. But Iunius better, who expounds that of the Assyrians destruction, takes it for a third common Junius.place of comfort in Christ against the fear of those things, which the Church of God should suffer by their enemies. For once he comforts them by the Virgins conceiving and bearing a Son, Chap. 7. Secondly, By saying, To us a childe is born, Chap. 9. Then vers. 27. of Chap. 10. having made a preparative to speak of the anointed one or Christ, he here sets him forth at large after a little more interlaced about the Assyrians and their ruine. And Ierom who first renders foreign a Flower in stead of a Branch, afterwards saith, That hereupon Matthew notes, that a Prophecie was fulfilled when he dwelt in Nazareth, He shall be called a Nazarite, because he is by Isaiah here spoken of by the name of Netser, whence Netzeraeus cometh. Now although this followeth next after the cutting down of the Assyrian, yet it was not fulfilled till a long time after: But the Prophet being to speak chiefly of things pertaining to Christs Kingdom, for the comfort of the faithfull, makes these from hence forward the chief matter of his discourse, to the end of his book; although many other things of note happened in the interim.
And the Spirit of the Lord rests upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, Vers. 2.the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. This further confirmeth, that by the Branch spoken of, v. 1. Christ was meant. For touching him it is said, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descend and rest upon him, that is he who shall baptize with the holy Ghost. Joh. 1. 33.For though the Spirit came upon the Prophets, yet it was but at times; he rested not upon any of them, as he did upon Christ; so that from the Spirit in him, as a Fountain, we all receive grace, according to that Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness we all receive. There is an Hebrew Gospel, saith Jerom, which the Nazarens Hieronym.reade, wherein it is thus written, The whole Fountain of the holy Ghost shall come down upon him: For when he came up out of the water, the voice from heaven said, My Son in all the Prophets I expected thee, that I might rest upon thee, for thou art my Rest, and my first begotten Son, who reignest for ever. And this Spirit is said to be the spirit of wisdom and understanding, because by it all things were made, and made in wisdom. The word Spirit is not often repeated here, as if this Spirit were more then one, but to shew, that all these gifts come from one and the same Spirit of Christ; without this no man is wise, no man a Counsellour, or valiant, or knoweth, or feareth the Lord: This sevenfold number is the Stone with seven eies in Zechary. But it is to be understood that the fear of the Lord is here spoken of, for them that need this fear, who are little ones; for perfect love expelleth fear: And of beleevers it is said, We have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again, but the Spirit of Adoption, thus Jerom. But whereas he speaks thus of the fear of the Lord, it is not this filial, but a servile fear; of which it is said, We have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again. By this filial fear, Whosoever loveth the Lord feareth him; and herein are all other graces perfected. For 1. It is wisdom and understanding to know how a man should carry himself in all things; then counsel in difficult cases to direct a mans self and others, for thus can he do that is wise and understanding. 4. Fortitude, for if he be a man of counsel and not couragious to do accordingly, it is vain, and valour without counsel is temerity. 5. The spirit of the knowledge of the Lord, for all wisdom and counsel without this, and courage profits not; but when a wise and understanding man, a man of counsel and courage knoweth the only true God aright, he is wise and couragious indeed to his comfort. 6. Of the fear of the Lord, for this must needs follow the knowledge of him; and then is all counsel and courage right, when it is directed by this fear; or make the fear of God the beginning of these graces, as Prov. 1. 7. it is said to be the beginning of wisdom, and then wisdom and understanding and counsel, &c. follow this. Whereas he saith, The Spirit of the Lord rests upon Christ, he comes to speak more plainly of him, as v. 1. he spake of him by a metaphor. The Spirit of the Lord is here put for the substantial spirit united unto Christ, as he was man, through his Divinity, for the whole Godhead dwelt in him bodily: Yet if we consider the three Persons distinctly, not the Father or the holy Ghost, but the Son, and the holy Ghost as one Essence together with God the Son. The spirit of wisdom, &c. Here the most eminent gifts of the spirit, but not all are reckoned up; for he is also the spirit of love, peace, joy, meekness, faith, &c. and yet here be not seven, but only six gifts of the spirit recounted, which sheweth their annotation to be groundless that speak of seven; but their ground is the Vulgar Latine, where piety is put for one, between knowledge and the fear of God, which is not in the Hebrew. The Lord had before. chap. 9. by his Prophet set forth Christ as the Prince of peace, and one that had an endless Kingdom; now he declareth the gifts required in a King chiefly, and sheweth them to be in him constantly, fully and alwaies, in comparison of whom the present Kings were fools and cowards, and without the knowledge and fear of the Lord; and therefore he only to be esteemed, desired and longed for. And these spirituall gifts, called the spirit of wisdom and understanding, &c. because they come from the spirit, rested not upon Christ for himself only, but for us that be his members; for of his fulness we all receive them in some measure, some man one in more eminency, and some another, but he all without measure; to him therefore must we go, as to the Fountain, for such gifts as these.
And shall make him smell in the fear of the Lord. Thus the Hebrew word Vers. 3.foreign signifieth: The Vulgar Latine, The spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him; having rendred the same word which is here rendred fear, piety, v. 2. thus making up the number of seven gifts of the Spirit, whereas indeed they are but six, as hath been touched before. Some render it, shall make him sagacious, Vatabl.or of a sharp judgement, able to discern the right without outward helps of seeing or hearing, as none else but the Spirit of God can do. And this indeed is the meaning, but it is expressed by a metaphor taken from smelling, as if by this sense, without that of seeing or hearing, he should be able to discern who feared God, to accept of them and to be a patron to them, and who not, to reject them: According to this sense, it is said of many that beleeved in him, Joh. 2. He knew what was in man; neither needed he that any should testifie of him. And Matth. 9. He knew their thoughts. And when the Pharisees came, making a fair shew to him, asking a sign, he knowing the wickedness of their hearts, replied, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign, &c. The Jesuite here tels of St Hilarion, and Mary Oigniacensis, that by the very smell Cornel. a Lap.they could discern a godly person and an hypocrite asunder, when an hypocrite came near, they smelling a stinking savour. But whether this were so or not, Christ hath such a smell, all the wicked to him being as stinking Goats, and therefore by him accursed to hell, Matth. 25. Some understand it, as if it had been said, Shall make him have a sweet savour, because all his speeches and actions shall savour of the fear of the Lord; which is also true, but not so genuine here, where he is spoken of as a King or Judge, as the words following shew: He shall not judge by the sight of the eyes, &c. Here a difference is put betwixt mens judging and Christs; they can go no otherwise but by that which they see and hear from the testimony of other men, and so may be, and often are deceived; because if they see a mans works to be good, they judge him a good man, and by misinformation they judge him evil that is good; or upon whom they see a judgement, as Jobs friends seeing his sufferings, and the people of Melita seeing a little poisonous serpent hang upon Pauls hand, which was called a Viper, they judged him most wicked. Whereas he that doth good works externally, for want of doing them with a good heart is condemned by this Judge, as the Pharisees; and he that suffers, being one that truly fears God, is approved by him and magnified, as both Job and Paul aforesaid were; which is a comfort to those that are unjustly judged by men, and may strike fear into such as are justified and honoured amongst men; and into unjust Judges, that indeavour not by the helps of seeing and hearing which they have, to finde out the truth, or have not acuteness enough to do it, or are not moved so much hereby, as by hatred of the accused, or favour to the accuser or accused, for some worldly end of their own. The first sort shall be censured by this Judge, for doing the work of the Lord negligently: The second, for insufficiencie for this calling, into which they have intruded themselves; the third, for being companions of theeves, aiming more at filthy lucre Isa. 1. 23.then justice, and acting partakers with the evil, rather then Judges, to the great infamy and disgrace of their high order. See Psal. 58. and 82. and 1 Sam. 8. 3.
He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and reprove for the meek of the earth. Vers. 4. Hieron.This, saith Jerom, is by the Jews applied unto Christ, as which shall be performed at his second coming, but by us unto his first. For the Apostles, whom he called poor, he censured, saying [O faithless and perverse generation, and to Peter, Get thee behinde me Satan.] And he reproved for the sake of the meek, and smote the earth with the rod of his mouth; as here followeth: When having threatned a famine by Agabus, he sent it, and both famine, pestilence and warre by John the Divine, Revel. 6. 4, 5, &c. for the persecutions raised up against his servants: And it is said, that he shall slay Antichrist by the breath of his mouth, 2 Thes. 2. 8. according to the last words of this verse, He shall slay the wicked by the spirit of his mouth. Adam Sasbont, by his judging the Adam Sasbont.poor, understands his delivering poor souls oppressed with sins; so Psal. 72. it is said, Thou shalt give thy judgement to the King, and he shall deliver the poor. The meek of the earth are such sinners as meekly yield themselves to be governed by his Word, repenting them of their former sins; and they are said to be of the earth, because they who received the Gospel, were for the greatest part poor and abject amongst men. And he shall smite the earth, &c. That is, his Word shall so strike the hearts of men, that were before earthly, as if it were with a rod, to make them smart therefore to repentance: As it is said that he taught with authority, and not as the scribes: no Orator ever striking so deep an impression in the minde with all his eloquence, as he by his teaching. The Hebrews say it is meant, that he should smite and destroy them by his Word, bringing down fire from heaven, as Elijah did: but this is sufficiently confuted, where his Disciples asking if they should call for fire from heaven, as Elijah did, he answered, Ye know not of what spirit ye are. And shall slay the wicked, &c. That is, either Antichrist, or the devil and all the wicked, who by the power of his breath shall be commanded into hell fire, there to die eternally. Touching the poor, Calvin saith the same with Sasbont. Touching the meek Calvin.he also addeth, that none come to this, except they be spiritually poor, and in their own sense destitute of all goodness, and then meekly yielding themselves to be governed by his word, he will take their part and protect them against satan and all other their enemies. For the next words, He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and slay the wicked with the spirit of his lips. Both he and Musculus sometime say, that one and the same thing is meant, only the last words are an auxesis of the former, because it is more to slay then to smite, and yet by and by again they make a question, whether the same sort of men be meant by both, that is, the wicked, and Calvin in conclusion saith, as Jerom, that by the wicked the Antichrist is meant, yet not excluding any other wicked men or hereticks, who are slain by the breath of his lips, when they are convinced of their sins and errours, and condemned in the preaching of his Word, by any of his faithfull servants. Yet they will have two kindes of slaying intimated in both these sentences, 1. Of sin, in such as are set forth by the Earth, because before hearing they were earthly minded, but now, as if the earthly man were killed in them, they are heavenly and spiritual. 2. Of persons who are incorrigibly wicked; the preaching of the word to them, is the denouncing of the sentence of death, for which it is called the savour of death to them that perish, 2 Cor. 2. 14. And accordingly when a Judge gives sentence against a malefactour to be hanged, we commonly say, he hanged him; as also of Joseph but foretelling the hanging of Pharaohs chief Baker, it is said by the chief Butler, he hanged him and restored me to my Office.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and truth or faith the girdle of Vers. 5.his reins. The girdle is put for a Kingly ensign, Job 12. 18. Esa. 14. 5. saith Calvin. Now whereas other Kings have girdles of golden and glittering matter, Calvin.Christs girdle is justice and truth; as if he had said, true justice, or justice, because he shall be glorious for his righteous proceeding before spoken of, both for the poor and meek, and against the wicked of what state or degree soever. And truth or faithfulness, as the word foreign Emunah signifies, for his faithfull performing of all which he promiseth. Jerom by faith understandeth also Hieron.the faith in us his members, who beleeve in him, who are as near to him as a girdle about ones loins. But this is not so proper to this place, as having reference to the things predicated of Christ, v. 4.
And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid, &c. These Vers. 6.things, saith Jerom, are literally understood by the Jews, and such as Judaize; for they say, that when the Messiah shall come, which shall be towards the end of the world, the enmity, which was not by the first creation, in wilde beasts against others, to prey upon and to devour them, shall cease again, the wolf being as the lamb, the lion as the ox, &c. there being no more any malignity in any of them towards one another, or towards the least of mankinde, but all obedience and obsequiousness, as to Adam in the state of innocency. But, saith he, I would ask them, whether other things here spoken by the Prophet be also to be understood literally, as the branch or flower out of the roots of Jesse, or his smiting the earth with the rod of his mouth, &c. and if not, but if these speeches must needs be granted to be metaphoricall, why not this of the wolf, leopard and lion? Is the ceasing of the beasts enmity more to the glory of God, and well-pleasing to him, then of the malignity of men towards one another? if not, then most probably this is not properly to be understood; but by a wolf a man like to a wolf for killing and making havock of Gods people, who are like poor lambs; by the leopard, which is all spotted, the spotted with foul sins; the lion which devours the plain ox, the man of might unjustly destroying men that are not hurtfull, but profitable to the State. As it was prophesied of Benjamin, that he should be a ravening wolf, Saul persecuting the Church of Christ being meant, but being converted he dwelt with the lamb Ananias, to whom he was sent, and with Peter and other faithfull persons. And Paul saith of Nero, that when he escaped his tyranny, he was delivered out of the lions mouth. And in the sheet let down to Peter, Act. 10. all manner of beasts being represented, men in all parts of the world, of divers qualities and conditions were set forth, being quietly together to set forth this same thing. And to this do all our Expositors generally agree. Such as be true followers of Christ, although many of them have been hurtfull, as being of a wolvish or lion-like nature, yet now are turned to be like the lamb and the ox, that is, innocent, and by labouring in that which is good, getting their own living, and not by rapine. They that are not so, saith Calvin, are not worthy to be counted of the flock of Christ, and if Calvin.they will not be ruled by his Ministers, who are contemptible to the wicked world, as children for their little strength or power; because it is further added, And a little childe shall lead them: yet he makes this but the anagoge, and for the litterall, following that of the Hebrews, saying, that as before Adam sinned there was no enmity amongst the creatures, so Christ coming and taking away all enmity shall cease again, and the golden age, which was at the first, shall be restored, beasts being reconciled to beasts and returning to their first obedience to man, and no way obnoxious or hurtfull to him. Thus also Lactantius, Lactant. lib. 7. institut. c. 24.who held that Christians should reign here with Christ a thousand years, the most savage creatures being then tame and gentle; which opinion many called Chiliasts then followed, taking it from Papias the Disciple of John: but both Galatinus confuteth this sense out of Rabbins more ancient. And as Jerom, so Chrysost. August. Gregory, &c. understand it metaphorically, either of fierce and savage Countries and Nations of the Heathens, who were as wolves and lions, before the coming of the Gospel amongst them, but now agreeing well with Christians, as being turned to the same faith, or of particular persons in any place thus miraculously changed. Some think this was fulfilled according to the letter, when the Apostles and other faithfull persons had power over lions and scorpions to tread them under foot, and some Martyrs being cast to wilde beasts, they were quietly with them and hurt them not. But they are deceived, because then one word must be understood metaphorically and another properly; and because this is of a thing universally to be done in all the holy mountain of the Lord, that was but by some persons in some places only. And a little childe shall lead amongst them. So it is word for word, the meaning being, that the childe Jesus shall rule amongst them and over them leading them to this by his Spirit, or as was before said, any Minister of his, though but as a childe in power, shall prevail so in their hearts, that they shall yeeld themselves to be lead by him in any virtuous and good way, even as a tame beast by a childe that is farre lesse and weaker then he, and thus shall not woolves only do, that is, the baser sort, but also Kings and Lords set forth by lions, for with God there is no difference of persons: And thus, Hos. 2. 18. the Lord saith, he will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, &c. Lastly note here that he saith not, the lambs shall dwell with the wolf, but the wolf with the lamb; because by lambs and sheep Christians are set forth, to shew, that cruel idolaters of the Gentiles, that first destroyed Christians, shall be turned to them, and live quietly, and feed with them upon the spiritual food of the Word and Sacraments, and not Christians turned into such. Whereas Calvin here makes a question, whether any be lambs by nature, according to the sense of the word lambs in Calvin.this place, I think it needless, because by lambs are not meant any that were such from their birth, but some of the Jews first converted and brought into Christs fold, and some of the Gentiles turned first to the faith also, nothing else here being prophesied, but that others, who were even persecutors at the first, should also be turned and then become as they were; and if their fiercest and cruelest enemies, much more it is intimated, that others more moderate should by the Gospel be wrought upon, and attain this grace of coming into the same fold. These seven, the Wolf, Leopard, young Lion, called foreign Chephir, the Bear, Lion, Asp and Cockatrice, the fiercest and most hurtfull of all others, being named for the magnifying of his power the more, who should cicurate and tame all these by the working of his Spirit.
The cow and bear shall feed together, and the lion eat chaff as the ox. This also is by the Hebrews and Calvin following them, understood literally: but by Vers. 7.Jerom, of rude and ignorant persons converted to the faith, who reade the Hieron.Scriptures, but see not into the meaning of many things therein contained, wherein the wheat lieth; yet by this reading they feed upon the chaff of this wheat, and are nourished. But forsomuch as he is said to eat chaff as the ox, and by the ox, the honest laborious Christian is understood; the meaning rather is, the most noble and mighty being converted, resort to the word and Sacrament, together with the meaner sort, for the feeding of their souls herewith, although to the carnal it seems but as chaff, and to have no more heart in it. Whereas he saith, Their young ones shall lie down together, The meaning is, that children after parents shall do thus, and their children after them from age to age, the faith being once imbraced by the Nations, continuing, and no revolt being made to barbarism any more.
And the suckling looks upon the hole of the asp, and the weaned puts his hand upon Vers. 8.the den of the cockatrice. The asp is a serpent full of poyson, but it is more latent; the cockatrice more manifestly dangerous for killing all that come near it. But whoso hath been formerly as the one or the other, shall now no more be hurtfull to any, no not to little children, that cannot defend themselves; for their poisonous qualities shall cease: Thus Musculus, who also Musculus.will have hereby intimated the courage, even of Christians but newly entred into the first principles, but much more of those that have made further proficiency in divine learning; they fear neither subtle hereticks nor devils. And to unclean spirits and devils, cast out by the Apostles, doth Jerom apply it, according Hieron. Mare. 16.to the promise, They that beleeve shall take up serpents, and they shall not hurt them. But because all other savage and hurtfull creatures hitherto spoken of, have set forth men of like qualities, but now changed, I see no cause why the asp and basilisk should not be likewise understood, and no fortitude against danger by them here intimated: So that it is out of place that is brought here by Cornelius a Lapide, of Joshaphat a young man, converting his father the King and the whole Kingdom to Christianity: And out of Procopius, touching a childe, who seeing his mother by a Tyrant cast into the fire, bit the thigh of the tyrant, and then run into the fire and burnt with her, I like rather that of Musculus, applying it to simple well-meaning men like children, and suspecting nothing, companying with men before full of the poyson of malice, but now this ceasing in them, they converse together without being cheated or harmed, wherefore it is immediatly added.
None shall hurt in all the holy mountain of the Lord, that is, in his Church consisting of men of all sorts, because upon Zion the temple stood, for the earth shall be Vers. 9.filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea: There is shewed how it shall come to passe that none shall hurt, viz. because the knowledge and faith of Christ shall fill all parts of the world, and so savagenesse and hurtfullnesse of man towards man shall cease, and this knowledge shall cover the earth as the waters the sea, or as it is heb. the waters in the sea covering, that is, the waters now kept within the bounds of the sea, sometime in the daies of Noab covered the earth, a similitude to set forth the greatest abundance of knowledge, for before it was cooped up within the narrow bounds of Canaan, for the heathen had not the knowledge of his laws, but under the Gospel both the light in that Psal. 103.land was greater, as Chap. 9. and thence as the Sun it went out into all Psal. 19.parts.
And in that day the root of Jesse shall stand for a sign of peoples, &c. Here he that was called the Branch before, is called the root, even Christ springing out Vers. 10.of that stub, which seemed now even dead, and he was an high Ensign or Standard, not for one, but for all people of the world to flow unto. This he himself also foretold, when he said, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wildernesse, so shall Joh. 3.the Son of man be lifted up, and When I am lifted up I will draw all men to me, He shall be required by the Gentiles, that is, be beleeved in, Heb. they shall seek him: the Septuagint respecting the sense more then the proper meaning, they shall beleeve in him, and his rest shall be glory, that is, saith Calvin, his sepulchre, or because Calvin.by rest death is set forth, his crosse where his dead body first rested shall be glorious, but he finally understands the Church thus gathered from all parts shall be glorious, because of the Church it is said, here shall be my rest for ever, Psal. 132. 14. this last is most consonant to Chap. 4: 4. where his Church is set forth by this word glory.
And in that day the Lord shall again lift up his hand to possesse the remainder of his Vers. 11. Hieron.people, which were left from Ashur, from Egypt, &c. God had once delivered all Israel out of Egypt by a mighty hand and stretched out arm, when he sent so many plagues upon Pharaoh and his people: now he promiseth another deliverance under the Gospel, when Christ the root of Jesse should be set up for an Ensign, but this is not of all but of remnants returning from all parts, where before they had been in captivity. He had long before brought them back to their own Land in the daies of King Cyrus the Persian, but now he saith, that he would possesse them by turning them to the faith, that they might be Gods peculiar possession, this was fulfilled when Jews and proselytes out of all countreys seeing the miracle of fiery tongues, and the Apostles preaching in all languages, Act. 2.beleeved and were baptized, three thousand being thus added to the Church at that time, so Jerom, who also relates an opinion of some who would have this to be understood of the conversion of the Jews, after the fullnesse of the Gentiles come in, about the time of Christs second coming. But because this seems to countenance the errour of the Jews, who look for the Messiah about the end of the world, he rejecteth this, and saith, that this prophecy was fulfilled, as hath been already shewed. And for the enmity ceasing spoken of, ver. 13. betwixt Judah and Ephraim, he understands it of such of both these kingdoms as at the coming on of the Gospel were converted to the faith, after which all enmity betwixt them ceased. For that they were no small number, and so not unworthy to bear the name of Judah and Ephraim, appears Act. 21. 26. where it is said, that there were in Iudea many myriads or ten thousands which beleeved. For their flying upon the Philistims, &c. vers. 14. this he understands not as to be done in an hostile manner, but to beat down their idolatries and superstitions, and to bring them to the knowledge of one only true God and of his son Jesus Christ for their eternall salvation. For from Iudea the word was carried out by them into these neighbouring countreys first, which had been most infest enemies to the Jews, and the faith being by them embraced, they were spiritually subdued, and all enmity from thenceforth ceased. For his destroying of the tongue of the Egyptian sea, spoken of ver. 15. this he also saith was by converting the Egyptians, whereupon they should not with their tongues blaspheme the true God, or magnifie false and base gods any more, as oxen, and birds, and crocodiles, and cats, as they had done, and it is called the Egyptian sea, the land of Egypt being meant, because at some time of the year the land of Egypt was all covered with water as a sea. For his smiting of it in the seven rivers thereof, that the remnant of his people might go over dry-shod, he saith, was meant of Egypts being subjected to the Romans in the daies of Queen Cleopatra, whom Iulius Caesar overcame a little before Christs incarnation, which before was a mighty kingdom, and so inaccessible by the poor Jews, as the great River Nilus impassible: but now as if that river had been divided into seven, each one running very shallow, so that a man might go over; so that Kingdom ruled in times past by one mighty Monarch, should now be divided into divers parts, one being under one governour, another under another, as the conquerour appointed; and opportunity being thus given for those of the Jews who went about preaching the faith, to come thither also, as being now fellow-subjects under one common Lord, and all having none other Kings or Rulers set immediatly over them, but such he appointed: To this effect Ierom, who also saith, that in speaking of their going over the River Nilus dry-shod, he alludeth to the Israelites going sometime through the red Sea, not that a like miracle should now be wrought again, but spiritually the like was to be done, that which might hinder the progresse of the Gospel being taken away, viz. the potency of the Egyptian kingdom, it being now in the hands of those that were not so infest but more friendly to the Jews. Of this second deliverance some of the Rabbins understood somewhat, when writing upon the deliverance out of Egypt, the 15. day of the first monethmonth they say, a greater deliverance at the same time shall come by the Messiah, only they erre in this, that whereas it was performed by Jesus, the son of the Virgin Mary at that very time, for then he by suffering death wrought the work of our redemption, they expect fondly the Messiah still to come to do this great thing, Lyranus, Dionysius, and Haimo say, that Gods second stretching out of Lyra. Dionys.his hands to possesse them, was by the Apostles preaching and converting many of the Jews, as the first was by Christs own preaching and converting some. Again, others will have this second meant of them that returned from the Babylonish captivity, which was a stretching out of Gods hand the second time, forsomuch as once before he stretched it out for their deliverance, in the time of Hezekiah by smiting the host of Sennacherib, but because the deliverance by the root of lesse is here spoken of, and the whole prophecy goeth upon things to be done under Christ, this last fals: and the former seems not to be the meaning, because Gods stretching out his hand to convert, when the Lord himself preached, was not so eminent, seeing so few were then brought unto the faith. For the places from whence he promiseth that they shall return, the 1. is of Ashur, whither they were carried by Salmanasar, 2. Egypt, whither they were carried by Pharaoh-Necho. 2 King. 23. 33. 3. Pathros, by some thought to be Parthia, by some Phetros, the chief city in Arabia petraea, and by some Phatura in Egypt, to which the Jews fled, Ier. 44. 2. 4. Elam, that is, the countrey of the Persians, Medes, and Sogdians, it was the chief city giving the name to all those parts. 5. Shennaar, that is, Babylon, Gen. 11. 6. Amath, which belonged to Libanus, not far distant from Damascus. 7. The Islands of the Sea, Spain, Italy, Greece, and all the Western parts divided from the East by the sea, according to the Jews account, who were wont to call them so. Here Cush hitherto omitted is Ethiopia, beyond Egypt.
And he will lift up a sign, and gather together the out-casts of Israel, &c. Here Vers. 12.is nothing else but a further explication how he would come to possesse this remnant again, viz. by setting up a sign, which is, Christ crucified: as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse, by which all that were stung with fiery flying Joh. 3. 14.serpents were gathered together to be healed, and then he addes more generally, from whence these remnants should come, if he had hitherto omitted any other particular place, by saying, from all the four corners of the earth.
And the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the enemies of Iudah shall be cut off &c. Vers. 13.Heb. foreign the fierce wrath of Ephraim, that is, of those of the kingdom of Israel, or ten tribes, of which Ephraim was the chief, who alwaies after the division of the Israelites into two under Ieroboam, were at deadly feud with the kingdom of Iudah under Davids line, seeking to bring it under, and at this time they were confederate with Syria to this end. But in the time of the Gospel this their enmity ceased, and thus the enemies of Judah were destroyed, because they of the ten Tribes, who formerly exercised this hostility against Judah, being taken away, no more of them now rose up in this old quarrell, but all agreed together as one kingdom, which was in part fullfilled in the Apostles, who, as Eusebius saith, were some of Judah, and some of the ten Tribes, and shall be more fully at the time of the Jews conversion to the faith. Then he saith, one shall not envy another, as they alwaies formerly did, one kingdom seeking ambitiously to get all the glory from the other, and this effect, saith Musculus, the Gospel worketh, Musculus.when it is entertained into the heart, men of divers kingdoms are as one living together in peace and unity, through the power of the same religion binding their hearts together. But how this is fullfilled we see not in other kingdoms, neither did we ever reade: wherefore it is to be understood, not of all, but only of those in whose hearts the word worketh effectually. Such in both the kingdoms were together with one accord, Act. 2. although others who beleeved not, and false brethren, made the times most tumultuous and full of dissention.
They shall fly on the shoulders of the Philistims of the West, and upon the children of Vers. 14.the East, The Jews think that this is to be fulfilled in a carnall manner, all their enemies round about being at length subdued to them by force of arms, as in time of King David. But because Christs kingdom is not of this world, they are certainly deceived, the meaning of this being nothing else but spirituall: they shall fly upon the Philistims, &c. by preaching and working miracles for their conversion, and hereby they shall be subdued unto Christ, and brought under the obedience of the Gospel, who dwelt on every side of them, which he intimates by saying the children of Ammon shall be their obedience, that is, obey their teaching, so Jerom. But Oecolampadius saith, that this was in part fulfilled, when the Jews Hieronym. Oecolamp.returning from Babylon prevailed against their old enemies, the Philistims flying upon their shoulders being a phrase to expresse their subjection to them, and partly when we subdue by the spirit our spirituall enemies, the flesh and the world, by getting the mastery over our corruptions. I prefer the former, and according to it the Jews preaching the Gospel, are said to send out their hand, to intimate their ready obedience to it, so that if the preachers thereof did but by pointing with their hand shew what they would have them to do, they yeelded presently without any delay, and became obedient in all things. And accordingly in the time of the Apostles, Philip is said to have gone to Azotus Act. 8. and Peter to have been at Joppe, which were both in the countrey of Idumaea, as Strabo saith. And in the time of Athanasius and Chrysostom, saith Adricomius, there were very flourishing Churches in Gaza and Ascalon, and other cities of the Philistims. Whereas Ierom referres the putting forth of the hand to the subdued, as if a putting Hieronym.forth after the manner of supplicants towards victors were meant, it cannot stand, because it is added to set forth the like case of the Ammonites, that Ammon shall be obedient them, that is, to them, of the extension of whose hands it was before spoken, therefore not the subdued but the subduers. The word rendred on the West heb. is the sea, but because the sea was Westward to the Philistims, it is all one. Their going to convert the Philistims is set forth by fleeing, for their great haste in doing this, and fleeing upon their shoulders for Christs yoke, which they put upon them, according to Mat. 11. 28.
And the Lord shall make to vanish the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and lifting up Vers. 15.his hand shall smite her river in the seven streams thereof, so that men in their shoes may passe over. Ierom by the tongue of the Egyptian sea, understands their blasphemous Hieron.speeches against God, whilest they were idolaters, so that here it is prophesied of their coversion, after which time they should be heard to speak so no more as they had done, but to the praise of God, as if they had new tongues. And whereas they were formerly ruled by one potent King or Queen, so that by the greatnesse of their power strangers were kept out from coming to rule over them, now this their power so united, should be divided amongst many, which was accomplished, when Caesar overcoming Anthony and Cleopatra their Queen, set up divers Princes, one at Alexandria, another at Ptolomais, &c. to rule over Egypt under him, at what time of this rule thus divided, the Ministers of Christ came and converted them to the faith. For as when a great river runneth all in one channell, it is by footmen unpassable, yet being derived into many, a man may passe over each one on foot well enough; so although the power of Egypt being united in one king, they that were sent to preach the Gospel, could not have had such a free passage, yet this Monarchy being overthrown, and so that power which might have resisted being taken away, now they had no hindrance; this being one end that God had in reducing all people under one mighty Monarch, that the Jews going out with the glad tidings of salvation might have free entercourse with all other nations to propagate the same every where. Iunius for the tongue hath the bosom, because it is a piece of earth reaching out Junius.into the sea, like a bosom hindering the marriners passage, and making him go sometimes a great way about to come to the place which he intends. It being meant by the striking hereof, that all impediments of the Gospels passage should be taken away, that it might freely go on to all countreys and nations, one river Nilus being spoken of, and the like being understood of all other broad and deep waters, whereby men cannot passe without ships with great labour and cost prepared. And thus Oecolampadius understands it, and Sasbont, but that he erreth Oecolamp. Sasbont.about the river, saying, it is Euphrates: yet it may here be alluded unto that river also, the waters whereof ran about Babylon, making it impregnable, as the Babylonians thought; but by Cyrus the King of Persia many large and deep dreins were made, into which the river being let out soon became dry, and his souldiers went on foot into the city through the river, and took it. But because Egypt is here spoken of, and Nilus is well known to be the river of Egypt running into the sea in seven Channels, as great doors, called seven Ostia Nili, and the present prophesying is not of a way making for Israel to come again into their own land from their Babylonish captivity, but of that which should be done in the time of the Gospel, which was long after, I assent to that which hath been said, wherein also Cyril, Procopius, and Theodoret agree, rather then to Calvin, Cyril. Procop. Calvin.understanding it as a prophecy of their returning from Babylon, wherein nothing should hinder them, a way whereunto was made, when Cyrus their deliverer had done that exploit about Euphrates, because the subduing of Babylon was the translating of the Monarchy to him, who so greatly favoured them. The meaning then is nothing else, but that as Israel going out of Egypt towards Canaan, went through the red sea miraculously divided, which would otherwise have been an insuperable impediment unto them, and when they came nearer to the promised land, the greatest rivers could be no hinderance to them, but Iordan was likewise divided, that they might passe through: so in the daies of the Gospel God would by his almighty power make a way for his servants, to go by waies that might seem most impassable, to preach it in Egypt and other parts of the world, that being named in stead of more, because it might seem hardest, as the state of it then stood, to be entred by any of Gods people, to work so famous a work there, both by reason of their most notorious superstition and great power. But their power was broken even a little before by Augustus Caesar, who entred by Pelusium in the midst of mory and fen grounds, seeming therefore inaccessible, but at that time, as if it had been done purposely, dried extrordinarily. Whereas the Jews ground upon this place their expectation of the Messiah yet to come, when seas and rivers shall again be dried up according to the letter, that they may again passe home to their own countrey under his conduct, as before they went through the red sea under the conduct of Moses, it is ridiculous, and it will not hold for their being brought thus to their own land, when they shall be converted to the faith, as some coming too near the Jews have lately taught. That which is added here is but further to declare the same thing which was before said Thus there shall be a path as it were paved with stone, for so the Vers. 16.word signifyeth, for the residue of Israel out of Ashur, that is, a plain way all impediments being removed, as when they came long before out of Egypt. And whereas ver. 11. both the residue in Ashur were spoken of, and in other countreys; here they only in Ashur are mentioned, saith Musculus, who were carried Muscul.away by Salmanasar, and that furthest of all other, and to remain longer then those, that were carried to Babylon, lest they should despair of any return, for even of the ten tribes many as well as of Judab returned to the Lord at the Rom. 11.preaching of the Gospel, and more shall return before the end of the world.